The Downtown Edmonton Community League is proposing an idea — which some might find controversial — to help make the city’s downtown core more liveable.
The league recently released a list of ideas to make downtown more people-friendly. Some of the ideas include street cleaning year-round in and around the downtown core, more green spaces and changing the rules on adult-only residential buildings so people of all ages can live downtown.
But one idea garnering a lot of attention: the elimination of jaywalking tickets.
“The current jaywalking restrictions penalize pedestrians for walking. This needs to change if we want to encourage residents to adopt active lifestyles. Allowing walkers to cross when it’s safe to do so is already allowed on Rice Howard Way, but we’re advocating for it to be expanded to other spaces like 104 St., or Downtown as a whole,” the statement reads.
“The jaywalking bylaw is contrary to what we’re trying to do downtown,” said Chris Buyze, president of the Downtown Edmonton Community League.
“The majority of people getting around downtown are by foot and we really want to bring attention to the fact maybe downtown specifically it’s no longer appropriate to have a bylaw like that.”
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Buyze said he is not advocating for mass jaywalking or jaywalking during peak traffic periods, but he said he wants to make the city more walkable.
“I don’t think [the ticket and fine] is deterring people from walking downtown, but I don’t think it also helps. Streets that are designed to be walkable like 104th Street and 108th Street, they really lend themselves to jaywalking,” he said.
Edmonton police declined to comment when approached by Global News about the idea.
And it seems pedestrians have mixed feelings about this type of idea.
Ewelina Tully said she used to jaywalk when she lived in Sherwood Park, but doesn’t anymore after moving downtown.
“I drive to and from work so I park here downtown. There have been a lot of closes cases where someone runs in front of my car and it is scary as a driver,” she said.
“I definitely don’t think jaywalking should be allowed or permitted. I mean, we have lots of crosswalks.”
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Andre Giasson has received five jaywalking tickets in the past and defends the culture of jaywalking.
“It’s just more convenient and it’s faster,” he said.
But he isn’t sure the idea of no penalties is practical.
“I hear the message. I like the idea. But the practicality, the safety of it? Rush hour traffic? Do you want people jaywalking all over the place?”
Buyze said he hopes to have discussions with city administration or city council in the future about the idea.
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